Defend the Flock Newsletter Summer Edition 2023

Defend the Flock: Your Biosecurity Bulletin

Q&A Vet for a Day:

A Talk with Dr. Mary Donahue

We asked Dr. Mary Donahue, Veterinary Medical Officer (VMO), 

Poultry Health Team, at APHIS Veterinary Services, what it is like 

to “Defend our Flocks.” 

1. How and why did you choose a career with APHIS? I grew

up outside a very small town in 

northern Indiana named Osceola. 

It was a very rural setting and we 

kept backyard poultry. We always 

got new birds in the spring.

My family had strict rules not 

allowing animals in the house, 

however, I would sometimes 

sneak them in. I once brought 

ducklings into the bathtub 

which upset my mother. I had 

to clean the entire bathroom 

and disinfect the bathtub with 

bleach. It was quite the biosecurity lesson for me.

Because of my experiences and love for animals and the 

outdoors, I chose to study veterinary medicine. I had a private 

practice where I worked primarily with farm animals—mostly 

dairy cattle and later with small animals and horses.

Infectious disease has always fascinated me, so I pursued 

a Masters degree in Preventive Veterinary Medicine and 

Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota, after 

which I became an epidemiology officer with APHIS.

It has been an interesting journey to work with all different kinds 

of species. My time spent in emergency response in these 

previous roles prepared me for the transition to the poultry health 

team and responding to avian influenza and virulent Newcastle 

disease as a member of an Incident Management Team.

 continued

The Next Generation of Flock Defenders

The Flock Defender Youth Program is an extension of the 

Defend the Flock biosecurity awareness campaign and 

includes resources and activities for the next generation of 

poultry-keepers. APHIS provides youth, 

parents, students and their leaders and 

teachers with many digital resources 

they can use during meetings, classes, 

and when caring for their flocks.

Flock Facts: Test Your Knowledge

is an interactive game where students 

will travel around a poultry farm and 

answer true or false questions related 

to biosecurity principles laid out by the 

National Poultry Improvement Plan. This 

game is recommended for grades 4-8.

The Biosecurity Education Kit includes games and puzzles,

coloring pages, quizzes, and a biosecurity glossary to help 

future and aspiring poultry growers learn about biosecurity.

Biosecurity Workbook. Whether you are new to poultry or 

already own birds, make poultry biosecurity an “every day, 

every time” practice. The Defend the Flock Biosecurity 

Workbook features seasonal tips and worksheets to 

create and record your personal biosecurity plan.

Report Sick Birds

If you see signs of illness, take action right away! Phone Number

Veterinarian

Cooperative Extension Office

State Veterinarian/Animal or Poultry Diagnostic Lab

USDA 866.536.7593

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Defend the Flock Newsletter Summer Edition 2023

Q&A Vet for a Day: A Talk with Dr. Mary Donahue

 continued

2. How is poultry disease transmitted between wild birds

and domestic poultry? Wild birds can spread disease through

feces and droppings they leave behind when they are on or

around poultry premises. For example, if there’s a pond or an

area where wild ducks hang out, and the backyard poultry share

the same area, those birds are exposed to the virus from the

wild ducks. Other interactions may happen if there is a problem

with the integrity of the poultry house and wild birds get in or

workers track the virus into the house. Poultry growers should

be careful to not allow their domestic birds to interact with wild

birds, especially during breeding and migratory seasons.

Warm weather brings more critters 

to your yard, but don’t give wild birds, 

rodents, and insects a free lunch! 

Remove spilled or uneaten feed every 

day, and make sure storage units are ! secure and free of holes.

3. What can be done to protect poultry from

infected wildlife? Biosecurity is the first and

most important thing for any producer!

• Keep visitors to a minimum. If you have a friend

that has birds, they should not be coming into the

areas where you hold your birds at all. If visitors do

come into your poultry areas, make sure they are

taking the same biosecurity precautions as you.

• Keep wild birds away. Wild birds are attracted to water

and spilled feed. If possible, feed your birds indoors

where spillage is less likely to attract wild birds. If there is

any spillage, clean it up immediately. Also, look for other

ways to deter wild birds from coming near your flock.

• Clean everything. Don’t enter the poultry area unless

everything is clean, even your clothes. If you step on

droppings from a duck or a goose while walking in your

yard, you can track it into the poultry area. Have a pair

of shoes or boots that are exclusively for the poultry

area and clean those frequently. If you use disposable

booties, make sure they are sturdy and don’t tear.

• Don’t share equipment. Unfortunately, people use

Craigslist or even Facebook to swap poultry equipment or

birds. Even if they say it has been cleaned and disinfected,

thoroughly clean it again and let it sit in the sunlight to

destroy any remaining viruses or bacteria. You can also put it

aside for 10-14 days before use as an additional precaution.

• Monitor your birds. Keep an eye out for any kind of

warning signs, including not eating normally, not laying eggs,

respiratory signs, or sudden death. It can be challenging for

small poultry producers to monitor feed intake, but if you

have any concerns, contact your veterinarian right away.

Defend the Flock Biosecurity Checklists available in:

• Arabic

• Chinese

• Hmong

• Spanish

• Tagalog

• Vietnamese

TRAINING HIGHLIGHTS:

Navigating Avian Influenza: Your Questions Answered

APHIS hosted a free webinar that provided an opportunity 

for listeners to ask questions about highly pathogenic avian 

influenza and have them answered live. 

The experts featured were

• Dr. Patricia Fox, National Epidemiology Officer 

• Dr. Maggie Baldwin, State Veterinarian and 

Director of the Animal Health Division at the 

Colorado Department of Agriculture

You can watch a replay of the webinar or view the transcript 

at the Defend the Flock Resource Center, under the 

“Webinars” tab.

For more information about how to keep your flocks healthy, follow Defend the Flock on 

Facebook and Twitter and visit www.aphis.usda.gov/animalhealth/defendtheflock.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.